the opportunity to do all of the above and more . Overall , this was a powerful and rich experience that I will cherish forever ."
Students had opportunities to tour the sites , including museums , historic and heritage sites , art galleries , a bell tower , university library , abbeys , local agencies , the Flemish Ministry of Education and Training , and an amazing learning facility called Arts Basics for Children . An especially unforgettable experience for many students was the walking tour guided by a medical student who came to Brussels as a refugee at age 16 . The group walked the path that a refugee or asylum seeker would take in seeking permission to stay in Belgium , a grueling process involving long line ups and interviews . Teacher Ashley Churko gained insight into " what it is like to be a student when you are a refugee or immigrant ," and has changed some of her classroom practices as a result . She says , " It was very sobering to see the journey that refugees must take once they arrive in Belgium . One of the biggest take-aways from my conversation with our guide was that I need to make more of an effort to value all languages in my classroom . As a French immersion teacher , I tend to value only French . My days are spent constantly reminding students to « parlez en français » and I didn ’ t appreciate any other language in my classroom . After this class , I have given myself the challenge this year of letting go of that need for full time French , and I have started to let the students use their language of choice during the planning stages of writing . It has made an incredible difference . My students are actually writing better in French because they are organizing their ideas out without worrying about the restriction of language . They are more willing to look up words in the dictionary without complaint or me telling them to do so and take risks with their writing ."
Remembering her experience on the walking tour , undergraduate student Nicole Gebert says , " Before the tour started , I asked the guide “ What is this ?” I was referring to the rows and rows of sleeping bags occupied by people in the park . He told me they were refugees , waiting . They were people without homes who came for a better future ." As an art student , Nicole was asked by a graduate student to create a piece of art from a quote in the course text . The excerpt , referring to Mark Cocker ' s Rivers of Blood , Rivers of Gold ( 2000 ), went as follows : " Europe ’ s conquest of indigenous peoples all over the world was bent on a unilinear but multidimensional project of achieving riches via creating extensive streams of blood , which eventually created and sustained the world order we have today .” 1
1
Ali A . Abdi , ( 2008 ). De-subjecting subject populations : Historicoactual problems and educational possibilities . In A . A . Abdi & L . Shultz
Nicole created the following piece :
In explanation for her art , Nicole wrote in her travel journal : “ As one steps into society on a daily basis one is bombarded with hate and racism . Whether they experience it for themselves or see it happen right before their eyes it is evident that people stand on uneven grounds ... Hence the curtains . Perhaps this is a show to some people or a form of entertainment to see who is better than the other . Battles are fought , people are hurt , the pain flows like a subtle stream where no one seems to notice or care about its impact . The bump in the roads are represented by rocks , the broken bridge is the broken connection to humanity itself . But wait ... There is hope . There is a glimmer of light in the sky of lost languages and memories trying to break through the walls of society . Perhaps it is such that we need to break free and gain a rather different perspective on who we are as a nation . Break the stereotypes , and repair society .”
Grad students contextualized their learning by their professional employment . Teacher Ashley Churko has incorporated into her classes a new discussion method , learned in the Philosophy for Children workshop during the summer institute : She says , " An idea I took away was the red , orange , and green papers for discussions . It is such a great way to entice all students to participate in a discussion , even if they are not speaking . Since September , I have used this system so much , that anytime I say ' discussion ,' my students automatically take out their papers , even without me saying so . I love it so much because I know the opinions of my students who barely say a word in class because they show their opinions . It has been a great way to encourage participation without forcing everyone to speak ." Teacher Erika Baldo says , " I found the session on Philosophy for Children to be particularly interesting and relevant . As a teacher , I search for creative and innovative ways to engage in critical thought , challenge perceptions , and enlighten the minds of my students ."
Deni Miclea , who works as a Student Success Analyst for Treaty 4 Education Alliance , had another perspective to offer on the learning in the course . He says , " I learned that Belgium has a complex education system that is governed by national , regional , and local authorities . In
( Eds .) Educating for human rights and global citizenship , p . 68 . New York , NY : State University of New York Press , Albany .
Belgium , students learn in the country ' s three official languages : Flemish , French , and German . Each language group promotes their unique language and culture while meeting similar Educational outcomes . In Canada , there is an increasing need to cooperate between Provincial and First Nations educational authorities to shape our curricula . It is important to promote Indigenous language and culture instruction in schools ."
Mike Stumph says , " So what does a senior secondary mathematics teacher do with an experience such as this ? The simple answer is ; be a better teacher . The complete answer is to weave the ideas from this experience , along with further readings of Paulo Freire , Marilyn Frankenstein , Eric Gutstein , Andrew Brantlinger , Ole Skovsmose and others , into a pedagogy that is inclusive , flexible , decolonizing , empowering and emancipatory . Many of my colleagues argue that mathematics is neutral , its universality and bias-free perspective is how every class should be taught . Mathematics is a human endeavour , complete with bias , perspective , purpose , and influence . It can be used to build or destroy systems of oppression as well as empower or disenfranchise citizens . The role the teacher plays is a crucial one ."
Mike is also looking forward to applying his learning in his Spanish classes , too . He says , " I ' m hoping to bring the world into my classroom , relying heavily upon my interactions with Spanish speakers and experiences living in Mexico and Uruguay . I feel ready for the language component but I will also be working hard to include the concepts brought forward from this tremendously valuable study tour . My gratitude cannot be understated to the organizers and participants who pushed me to see and understand more ."
Another ongoing effect of the study tour is the community that formed through travelling and learning together . On one of the final evenings of the tour , the group sat late into the night on the terrace of a youth hostel in Brussels , chatting about their experiences , discussing global citizenship issues , and telling life stories . Their level of enjoyment was evident to others : another guest at the youth hostel asked if they were having a family reunion . Going through this experience together , walking , talking , getting lost , and sharing food and stories , formed family-like bonds , but also a professional learning community . Even now that the students are back in Canada and working in their separate environments , the conversations continue .
By Shuana Niessen
Study Tour photos on page 16
Education News | Page 15